Big T has passed away

NEWS Saturday 15th April 2023, 10:34am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Former Monarchs' promoter Tom Cook, widely known as Big T, passed away at 2am today after sustaining a fall last weekend. The news has been posted to Facebook by his son Scott, who of course rode for Monarchs during Tom's time at the club.

He had formerly been involved at Berwick, and bought over the Monarchs from Mike Parker in the winter of 1981-2. He brought a great deal of enthusiasm to the task, but not a lot of experience and very little luck. The realities of running a Speedway club didn't do much good for Tom's health or his business (Phoenix Trucking) and it was a roller-coaster experience over the four years he was involved as Monarchs' promoter.

On opening night in 1982 (versus the ex-Monarchs) he staged a country and western show after the meeting, featuring himself and his sister Sandi Hart, an established country artist. But it was not a smooth-running campaign - in Martin Rogers yearbook covering the 1982 season, the Edinburgh chapter is headed "Trouble with a Big T".

He believed in encouraging young riders and ran two junior teams in the Scottish Junior League. The most successful season he presided over was 1983 when Monarchs were ninth in the National League, but that was followed by wooden spoon years in 1984 and 1985, and he left the club during that latter year.

He was a friendly guy, and many who knew him during these turbulent seasons for Monarchs will be much saddened to hear that he has gone.

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